chiseling
by paired discontinuity
Summary: Kyubey picks the Familiars, those girls who fight the creatures invading their world, and Misako guides them. But that barely scratches the surface of their true nature - and the nature of those creatures…
1. Lost in Transaction

_**A/N:** Another collaboration from the pair of Aiko and Remi, and this time both our paws went into the one chapter, though we'll let you work out who did what. :)_

_This is written for the what-if challenge at the Digimon Fanfiction Challenges forum, for the what-if: What if the one who picked Chosen Children was Kyubey? So we'll be bringing the best of both worlds to you. :D Enjoy!_

* * *

**chiseling**  
**Chapter 1 - Lost in Transaction**

Misako hung up the phone with a scowl. More of those creatures apprehended, and yet all the Government considered was the damage caused. Her girls had little to do with it: when bulls were rampaging downtown, destruction of that degree was unavoidable.

But, of course, the Government only considered their own image, and convenient scapegoats. Because it was her job to protect against these damages, they claimed. Her job to catch and deal with those creatures before they reached the public eye.

How could she? She was just an ordinary human who was shunted out of her previous job through ridicule and was "lucky" enough to find a new one that would take her. A job that plucked her from the field like the useless armament her ex-coworkers had always said she was, and put her behind a computer.

It wasn't a terrible job, like that. She could keep an eye on the entire city at once, but the difficulty lay in translating that into action. Because she was not on the field herself, she sent the girls assigned to her instead. But there was a level of unpredictability associated with that. Their reasons for association were often slight, though it was of benefit for them as well to end the battles with as little time spent as possible. That minimised the damage as well. Except in cases like this where those who didn't do a thing to help harped on about the unavoidable.

No-one had been injured. No-one had disappeared. That, in her view, was a victory. Not like the times when everyone was busy and they couldn't catch one of those creatures before something happened. Those were failures - and failures that couldn't be helped because there just weren't enough of them…

'Someone seems to be thinking hard tonight. Is the most favorable course of action unavailable?'

From one corner of the room, as their kind often did, the room went from lacking a creature to having one. Its white paws touched the carpet without sound, large tail swishing with each step. In the darkness of the room, its red eyes glowed without backlight, framed by the darkness until it stepped into view. The permanent cat smile seemed invisible in its fur with the lighting. It didn't speak again until it had jumped onto the woman's desk, then sitting on its haunches and waiting, For an answer? For a demand? No one could say, not without a decent mind reader.

Still, she had to give something, in order to break the impromptu stalemate that would otherwise occur. 'It would be easier if such things didn't exist in the world,' she said. And she hadn't meant for it to sound exhausted, but it did. Tired because she was stuck in a battle she would never win.

'If conflict did not exist, neither would change. Stagnation is the least profitable state for anyone, is it not?'

If it had a tone of its own, the creature would sound amused and curious. Such things for it were a waste, however, as was being smug. Though it wouldn't surprise anyone if it was that way.

'Conflicts exist to be resolved.' But Misako sighed the moment those words were out of her mouth. Conflicts...maybe they did exist to be resolved, but too many went on, without an end in sight. For some, even. it became impossible to find the end...if it ever existed. Such things were tiring. Things that seemed to have no outcome, no destination after a road of struggle. 'They've increased,' she added, after a brief pause. If she didn't, the other would simply spewl more of its poetic philosophy. It was better than unwarranted blame, but she was a woman that stove for results, not the deeper, intangible theories. That was why there were scientists and philosophers. That was why she was an ex-policewoman, and now the commander of the Familiars: that group of girls who chased and apprehended those wayward creatures that wrought havoc in their city.

Though children weren't so noble. They had their own reason for being Familiars: for choosing to fight.

'You humans think of things in such interesting ways. How you coexist...' The creature trailed off thoughtfully before snapping to, looking up at the woman with the same smile as before, if not more amused. 'They've increased,' it mused, curling the words over its telepathic lips. 'Any theories as of yet?'

This creature had plenty of answers, of course, but centuries, nay millennia, of experience had taught them caution on what answers were necessary.

Misako, on the other hand, had mere months, and those from a distance, behind a computer screen watching video feeds and reading reports. 'I am not a scientist,' she scoffed, 'but there is either something attractive about this world for them, something driving them out and ours is a convenient alternative, or there is a barrier between their world and ours slowly crumbling away. Assuming they're from a separate world of course, and not coming out of a black hole or inside the earth.'

She'd heard plenty of those theories from the scientists that liked to dabble in half-truths until they, perhaps, would stumble across an answer. She wasn't patient enough to hang around waiting for such answers...and yet, with the only being in the world that seemed to know being infuriatingly tight-lipped, it appeared she had little choice.

The creature took a moment to pace her desk, expression revealing nothing, for there was nothing there. 'That is plenty to go off of, especially if you can gain anything from such conjecture. For instance, if this world has something attractive, what would it be?'

'Something attractive about this world,' she mused, eyes following the creature's casual pacing with slight irritability. 'Hope. Love...I suppose.'

''From what we have seen, that is more like scraps off of your plate. Certainly, there could be other things in abundance here… but, as you like.' It paced further, almost making a humming sound. 'Those creatures cause a lot of damage to your world. Could something be driving them out? What sort of 'something' would you consider?'

If she could not at least make a theory, then she was little more than a figurehead, when it came right down to it. Her girls, as she put it, would have nothing to investigate on the field if she could not provide it.

Misako felt young and foolish in front of this creature, as though she were a student slow at grasping some lesson and it the teacher attempting to make it sustainable for her. Except its answers were wishy-washy like the air and his questions infuriating.

But they weren't easy questions to answer, despite that. 'War,' she suggested, finally. 'Destruction. Fear.' Insecurity, she almost added, but that seemed like a more feeble answer than the others. Insecurity were the teenagers that fled from their homes, dripping blood of apparent hatred or abuse, but remaining chained to that city, that country. Too often they clung to those roots, not like the asylum seekers that fled in the midst of smoke and death and war.

'Quite,' it agreed. 'Fear is apt. Everyone is frightened of something in this world. And when creatures are cornered and frightened, what do they do?'

It hopped to the floor. 'Thinking that, there's a strategy in that, isn't there?'

When anything with the freedom to act was cornered, they would either fight or flee, or both. She knew that, and she wondered if there was a single human in the world who didn't. But the strategy? That was a slightly more obscure question - or maybe not. She wouldn't put it past the creature before her to say her answer was wrong.

'They fight or flee.' She said it anyway. She would gain nothing otherwise, and entertaining her not particularly welcome guest meant at least she would have her desk back and in one piece by the end of it. 'So they can survive.'

'Quite,' it agreed, stepping towards her chair. 'And how do you counterattack?'

That caught her a little off-guard, but an answer rose to her lips soon after. 'Make sure we survive...despite the cost.'

'Indeed, and to do that, you need strength, more of it than you have, am I correct?' It licked one paw and rubbed a white ear. 'If so, we may be able to assist you, if you so desire.'

Misako bit her lip. 'And what will it cost?' The creature wasn't always so nice to just offer help without expecting something in return. And often those things it expected weren't simple or easy to see. Sometimes she had come to regret the decision to take on another Familiar, because of what it, ultimately cost.

But they'd been lucky, very lucky, that no-one had been injured or killed on the latest rampage. It was impossible for the numbers they had to maintain order if such things happened again and again - and they would happen, because whatever force drove the creatures to their city was spurred on by such successes. And the only way to stop that advance was to reinforce their own defence. And they had precious little ways to do that, particularly when the Government kept their grubby paws on the stipend that could let them be a little less dependent on the Familiars, on those children of the battlefield.

But what funds they got weren't sufficient to do anything beyond surveillance, so another Familiar to join their ranks was all they could hope for.

'If you play the game properly, the cost has already been paid.' It began cleaning its other ear, swipes methodical and casual. 'This is your decision: do the benefits outweigh the losses?'

In the end, this was when they arrived, each and every time: when they were most necessary, when there wasn't a choice at all, if you thought about it deeply enough.

And she'd thought about it, every time. And each of those times, she came to the same, inevitable, conclusion. 'Yes,' she sighed. 'Yes, they do.'

'Then I will set to retrieve them. Another excellent transaction.' Slipping to all fours again, it almost saluted the former policewoman. 'May humans prosper further.' The words were a possible attempt at sounding encouraging, but the creature melted away before that could be proven.

And Misako was left with her now vacated desk and a pit of something dark forming in her stomach.


	2. Fries and Orange Dinosaurs

**_A/N: _**_Update at long last! Thanks for waiting! _

* * *

**chiseling  
Chapter 2** **\- Fries and Orange Dinosaurs**

It had been one of those days, Madoka realized, fiddling with the shrink wrap on her new CD. One of those days where everything was about as real as a painting with unreal colors. Hitomi was looking miserably at another love letter, Sayaka panicking over grades, and she herself, stuck between them as some middle ground between fear of failing and vague interest in dates.

Hitomi had, as she always did, gone off to one lesson or another, hours ago, and Sayaka was incredibly interested in the CDs again (was she going to ask him out? Or not?) So she had a few moments to herself, and was using them to doodle and finish her math. She sighed. She hated trigonometry. She glanced at the food court menu. Maybe she should get something to eat…

'If you were willing to share, that'd be wonderful as well.'

Madoka jumped, looking around wildly. "Eh… eeeh!"

'By your feet.' A creature, almost like a plush doll, sat at one side of her foot. "Would you mind sharing some fries?'

Perhaps it was the surreality of the experience, but Madoka found herself walking up to the counter and doing just that.

'One large fries please.'

'Two,' a new voice corrected, making Madoka jump again and stare at the tall girl who'd pushed her way to the counter. 'Two,' she repeated firmly to the counter-girl, who frowned but scribbled down the order and printed off a receipt.

The girl glanced at the amount and pulled out her purse.

Madoka blinked, pink eyes bemused. 'A-Akemi-san… you surprised me." She supposed that was a bit of an understatement. "Y-You don't have to pay for my share, I was just-' She trailed off in confusion. What _was _she just doing?

Homura had paid for both their shares, accepted the tray and steered her back to the table before she could finish that train of thought.

"A-Akemi-san!" She was a bit used to being manhandled by her mother, but wasn't this a bit much? She looked around for the white rabbit. It had asked her for the fries, hadn't it? But it was nowhere to be seen, red eyes and all. She blinked up at Homura, feeling a bit like an owl with ruffled feathers. "U-Um…"

Homura was more subtle as she scanned the table and she showed no change in expression as she placed the tray down. Madoka pulled out a chair and sat. Homura ignored the other chair on the table for two and just picked up her fries, chewing slowly on one.

'Are you happy with your life as it is?' she asked, finally, before Madoka could break the awkward silence with more innocent words.

Madoka frowned, thoughts thrown even further out of order. "Am I happy…?" She closed her eyes. 'My family is happy,, and healthy, and I rarely desire much, and I have important friends, but, while I say that, there are plenty of unhappy people, with poor circumstances, and if I could help them, it would really be nice.' She paused. "Are you happy, Akemi-san?"

Madoka wondered if she imagined the flicker of surprise and something else that danced across Homura's face before the stoic expression returned. 'If you're happy with your life, don't try to change it. Say no to anyone who asks you to change it.'

With her little piece said, Homura snatched up her bag of fries and walked off. She gave the impression of being angered, or embarrassed: something that made her want to be swallowed by the crowd and disappear. In truth, she couldn't afford too much time with Madoka. Not then.

Not with Kyubey so close. She had to get rid of him first.

* * *

Kyubey licked his paw and pouted. Silly girl, showing up and costing him those fries. And a potential Familiar. Though she hadn't necessarily cost him that. He was quite pedantic, and he had far more opportunities than she who could only chase after him.

Why she was so ungrateful, he didn't know. And it wasn't his job to know. After he'd recruited them, his only task was to watch, to observe. The rest was Misako's job.

Nevertheless, she looked at him with such rousing emotion. He almost regretted not having said emotions because identifying this one could prove enlightening to the cause. Why, it was something almost like murder.

'Is there a reason that you're looking for me now?'

Homura stepped into the sun and raised her hand. The black polish of the gun gleamed in that afternoon. 'There always is.' She levelled the weapon.

He might have seen her coming, but she still wouldn't miss.

'Is that so?' He did not flinch, merely washed an ear with one paw. "Well, pardon my curiosity, but dare I inquire as to why? My direct interference with you is now a very little requirement, is it not? Only one wish allowed, or am I misreading my own contract?'

Homura's lips twisted into a smirk. 'You have many contracts,' she said. 'One with each Familiar you've made. By your own logic, you have no business at all with anyone who isn't a Familiar.'

'But if that were the case, I would have had no business with you. And if that were the case, you would not be able to point that gun at me, am I not correct?'

'I believe it's called managing resources.' But the smirk had faded into a frown. 'The outcome of this battle between species is no concern of yours, or am I mistaken about that?'

"I would consider the battle between specie to make my appearance a necessity,' His smile only grew wider, and yet did not seem to change at all. "For I must also attempt to conserve these resources. Would not wish to overburden you, yes?'

He began to trot away. 'After all, far be it from me to get in the way of your duties. You seem to impede your progress just fine on your own.' He cocked his head in the direction Madoka had been. Then he disappeared from view.

Homura frowned and strained her eyes and ears in that direction. A large shadow, moving towards the mall. Smoke...and horns…

_Madoka!_

She broke into a run.

* * *

Madoka made it within three blocks of her house before she couldn't run any further, and collapsed on her side. Her lungs ached with pain and she almost cried. She dropped her bag at the sound of a snarl mere meters away, and pushed herself back up.

What was that? What was happening?

She didn't even have time to think those questions, she had to just _get away._

Get away from that giant dinosaur. But dinosaurs were supposed to be dead!


	3. Breaks in Time

_**A/N:** Chapter three, and we present some more mind-scrambling and Kyubey for your amusement._

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**chiseling**  
**Chapter 3 - Breaks in Time**

Kyubey licked his paws again before leaping on to the rooftops. Sure, he'd missed out on the fries and that gloriously salty oily taste, but watching the girl dash off had its own sort of charm. Particularly when it was a part of a cascade of other events - events that would grant them another Familiar. Maybe Homura would get there in time to discourage it. Maybe not. Either way, Kyubey would be faster.

Faster than the creature assaulting the potential as well. He could see now: a large but clumsy orange dragon stumbling about near the Kaname home. He could hear screams as well - not the potential's but of other humans, a crescendo that drifted up the rooftops and his lithe, speedy, form.

He moved across a few more roofs and then, finally, he could see Madoka, hunched over and breathless and in near tears. And he could still see Homura, running fast. Plenty of time to make a contract and reap a sample of its rewards.

So he did,

He ducked between legs and under a small fireball. Madoka had her bag raised over her head, like it could save her.

'You don't want to die, do you?' He asked the question as he settled beside her. Pink eyes, adrenaline filled, cherry blossom petals everywhere. 'You can't possibly. You have so much left to do. I can help you, if you let me."

"H-Help?" Her voice shuddered with the rest of her and the ground shook with the force of each dinosaur's clumsy step.

'Yes. It's what you wish for, isn't that correct?'

Madoka stared at the odd little creature, at ease amidst the chaos. There were people hiding in their houses. Others dashing through the streets like she had been, in search for shelter. There were children. Mothers with prams. Little dogs barking like mad and that dinosaur with sharp teeth and spitting fireballs that could destroy it all.

Luckily, the first shot had missed.

But why had it come this way? Chasing her?

'Or do you want to save these people?' Kyubey asked. 'That's okay too. I can help either way.'

Save herself. Save the others. The little creature said it could do both of them - whatever it was. "O -" She broke off as another fireball came, rolling out of the way and coughing at the stinging scent left behind. "Okay, I'll -"

Kyubey smiled and held out a paw, then froze like that, as though it was a doll whose clockwork had wound down and it needed to be started again.

No, that wasn't right. Everything had stopped, except her. Or maybe she'd stopped as well. There was someone touching her shoulder now. Gripping it tightly, like she'd almost vanished.

"A-Akemi-san?" she yelped. "How - what -?"

"These people can be saved without you," said Homura with a frown. Madoka stared at her. "Don't get involved."

She sounded angry. Madoka didn't understand. Involved in what? How could she help being chased by an orange dinosaur?

* * *

Homura let go of Madoka's shoulder, and time froze again for the other girl. Her hands now freed, she took out her AK-47 assault rifle and aimed at the dinosaur's fleshy belly. She'd be a fool to waste ammunition on the head: the armour was too thick and though she had stronger weapons in her arsenal, there was no sense using them if something easier to restock on did the trick.

She fired twice, then a third time, then picked Madoka up and carried her away. Madoka squeaked in confusion. This was easier. She just had to hang onto her for a few seconds more.

Time started again. One of the bullets missed, clipping the arm. Greymon still roared, like it was somehow in pain. Madoka almost flailed out of her arms. Homura ignored her. She kept running, set her down on her front porch.

Time stopped. She turned, emptied the magazine. Time started.

Boom.

She was glad it didn't make a mess.

And that Madoka was safe.

* * *

Madoka could barely follow what had happened. It was like watching a DVD with scratch-marks all over its surface, so that it skipped through all the important scenes. Kyubey had been about to help her, and then Homura was there, and then Homura was carrying her, and now Homura was gone again and so was the orange dinosaur.

And she was shaking. People were still screaming but they broke off suddenly, realising they were out of danger. Or were they? Who knew, maybe it was like those monsters that split into a hundred new ones when destroyed. She shivered at the thought. One dinosaur was bad enough, thank you very much.

And where better to be when scared than at home?

She fumbled for her key, opened the door and slammed it shut loud enough to cause her mother, who'd heard the door handle, to jump. She opened the door to see her. Junko's smile was a bit too fast, probably from surprise.

"Welcome home!" She grimaced. "It was a mess out there today wasn't it?

Madoka made a face. "Mama, I don't think you know the half of it."

"Big dinosaur!" Tatsuya shouted. "It fall down and go boom!"

Junko sighed a little, letting out a laugh. "I do hope he's just watching the TV over there."

Madoka doubted that very highly. Slipping off her shoes, she found herself looking around the house, as if expecting someone to be there. But there was no sign of the strange rabbit, or of Homura. It was almost like a dream. But a dream didn't have that many bullets...right?

And her mother had mentioned the chaos. Surely they couldn't all be having the same dream.

She could always talk to Homura at school. And get answers. Or an explanation. Hopefully.

And maybe that small rabbit creature would enjoy playing with Tatsuya.

* * *

Kyubey frowned at the scene before it. It was easy enough to piece the puzzle together. The Familiar it'd crossed paths with before was a time-stopper, and she'd stopped time to stop him making the contract - and defeated the dinosaur in the same breath.

Misako would not be pleased to hear - or to hear about the chaos caused. More chaos always meant more work for her. And Kyubey had promised another Familiar -

Not that Misako could do anything if she wasn't pleased. That was the problem she had. Human and powerless. It was funny how the adults became powerless so easily and the children - Kyubey was staring at the power of a child first-hand: the bits of black dust rising into the sky that'd once been an orange dinosaur far taller than the adult human.

Well then. This would be intriguing to report at the very least. Also that human had been amiable, pliant. She would make a good Familiar. He just needed to get her out of sight. Or have Misako establish communications. Whatever would work best. Whatever would get the job done best.

But first, he had to report back.

* * *

By evening, Madoka had been somewhat convinced that today wasn't a dream. Her street had been on the news with a mess everywhere and various eyewitnesses making their own accounts. Madoka was glad she had managed to get out of that one: she might have ended up telling the truth. Who knew what would have happened then?

Sayaka chattered in her ear over the phone, about the mall and Kyousuke and all the normal things, along with something about Hitoe. Madoka couldn't recall one word in five even when asked. After a giant dinosaur nearly killed you, some things just weren't able to hold your attention.

She ended up hanging up the phone and turning off the lights. Maybe when she woke up the next morning, it would all have just been a bad day and she could look at Homura-chan normally again. Maybe.


	4. A Mess with Ingredients

**A/N:** _It's been a while, hasn't it? Holidays for both of us so we managed to squeeze out another chapter before we're back at uni. Enjoy!_

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**chiseling  
Chapter 4 - A Mess with Ingredients**

When the attack of the dinosaur was going on by the supermarket, Tomoe Mami was doing one of her favorite activities: baking. Some of it was given away, because, without a certain someone around she unintentionally made way too many. The rest of it was eaten herself, over days at a time. So, being that she was busy with mixing and chopping, she missed the alert until it was too late, blaring over the news in bold letters.

Mami could not easily hurt herself anymore, due to her profession, but she was very glad her hands caught the knife before it hit the floor. Cleaning the blood would be a bit of an inconvenience. She put it back on the cutting board, moving to watch the news as it played.

'Oh dear,' she mused. "Not another one.'

This was getting out of hand, wasn't it? There weren't enough of them, were there?

A tapping on the window drew her attention, and she set the knife carefully on the counter and opened it. Kyubey hopped in, gracefully avoiding the pots and pans and other assortments, though he scattered her chopped chocolate with its tail.

"Kyubey," she scolded. 'I'm cooking with those.'

"You humans are so particular," was the reply, as he inspected his tail. The brown colouring left a smudge that was barely visible.

"You won't say that when ants crawl up your tail tomorrow," said Mami with a smile. She liked it when Kyubey came to visit. No-one else did, even though she heard there was another Familiar in the area. "Did you have anything to do with that?" She gestured to the screen. The news anchor was talking about sports now, but Kyubey got the message.

"Not particularly." Kyubey tried to lick his tail. It scattered more chocolate until Mami snatched the chopping board up. "I was scouting when we were interrupted."

Mami perked up at "scouting". "You found a potential Familiar?" She hoped they were more sociable than the other one.

"Potentially," Kyubey replied.

Mami examined the still clean chocolate before asking her next question. (She was going to smack his little ears one of these days. if he ever burned something, she was going to let him have it. Gently, of course. They needed him around. "And someone stopped you from bringing them into the fold?"

"Unfortunately." Kyubey washed at one paw and moved it to his ear. "It was a start but then that friend of yours got in the way. Then the enemy appeared and I lost a good opportunity, I tracked her, at the very least, so it is quite possible that I will be able to speak to her again."

"I see." Her methodical movements resumed. "What kind of person is she?" Asking this was a moot point, since he didn't think about, nor care about this sort of thing. That said, it wouldn't hurt to ask.

"A willing worker, a good listener." Kyubey moved to rub his other ear. "Also, slightly too obedient, but you may need that for quite a few battle maneuvers."

Mami nodded, expression a little thoughtful, but definitely concerned. She would need someone that could think on their feet. That said, she could teach that, given enough time. "I see." She grimaced. "Perhaps I should speak to her then. A person is a lot more soothing than an alien weasel."

"If you think it wise."

Kyubey, that sneaky little alien, had probably planned that all along. And had stolen a little of the chocolate while he was at it because, when she weighed it out to put in the pan, she came up a little short.

* * *

Kaname Madoka, fourteen years old and in eighth grade. The same age as Akemi Homura but the "good listener" part implied she'd be an easier person to get along with. And of course Kyubey knew the address. Someone else might have considered it stalking, but it really was a necessity in this case.

Still, Mami thought as she lingered outside the Kaname residence, it simply wouldn't do to knock on their door as ask to speak to Madoka. She'd frighten the poor girl off - never mind that having a monster emerge near her and chase her two thirds of the way home was plenty frightening enough. It was a good thing, actually, that Akemi-chan had been there to rescue her. Mami had been a bit too far away. She hadn't felt the soul at all. Mitakihara was a little bit too big for one Familiar to handle.

There! Madoka emerged from the house and Mami held in a squeal. Kyubey hadn't mentioned how cute she was! And she was leaving too, giving the little boy who'd crawled after her (also cute!) a pat on the head before leading him back side and closing the door after her.

Mami made to follow, but then she stopped and smiled upwards instead.

Akemi Homura was sitting in the tree, also watching Madoka. And glaring at Mami.

Well, that was certainly _friendly._ How were they supposed to work together and get along if they kept doing things like this? Glaring at each other and generally promoting negativity, how was that going to help their new comrade any? It wouldn't, it would just make her nervous about talking with them and listening and making friends.

She supposed that was Homura's general idea. However, if the other girl was a bit more amicable, Mami wouldn't find it that necessary to work with new familiars as much. Or at least, she could fudge it to herself and lie to Kyubey and watch his disappointment.

Deciding she herself at least could be friendly, Mami smiled and nodded at the girl. No offense to the other girl's best efforts but she couldn't stop Mami from at least talking to the girl, surely. Or maybe she could.

She leapt nimbly from the tree, like a cat, and cut off Mami's view. "The Incubator brought you here, didn't it?"

Mami blinked. The girl had been frosty before but this was downright rude. "Kyubey has a name," she said mildly, though there was a bit of warning in her tone. "And considering he granted your wish as well, the least you could do is use it."

Homura tilted her head a little and regarded Mami, as though she knew something the other girl did not. And why? Mami was the more experienced magical girl. Mitakihara was her forte, and Homura was the newcomer who hadn't even asked for advice or if she was stepping on toes. She didn't usually and she was a help in keeping the numbers down. She stayed right out of Mami's way except when she thought Mami couldn't handle a particular monster. Then the monster would be gone before Mami could blink and she'd be no wiser about the other girl.

It was infuriating, really. That Homura pretended to know what Mami could and could not handle. That Homura acted as though she were too good for Mami - and too good for the new potential as well? Was that why she sat in a tree, watching? More creepy than what Mami had planned to do, by far.

Homura's icy gaze caught Mami's eyes. "Leave Madoka alone," she said. Not "Kanane-chan" or even "Madoka-chan", but just Madoka. Rude.

Mami huffed a little. "You're not in the business to listen to people, are you?" she asked.

She hadn't expected Homura to answer that. She'd asked it that way, in fact. And it was somewhat gratifying to be the subject of an annoyed glare before Homura spun on her heel and vanished down the street.

The annoying part was that Madoka had vanished long before.

* * *

Kyubey would have loved to be higher in the tree, but that Akemi Homura was a sharp one. For one, he didn't remember having ever contracting her, and neither did Misako. And he was sure all of Jyubey's Familiars were dead, and besides, she was too young to have been one of those. So then how had she done it?

Problem number two was the nature of her contract itself. Just what sort of container had taken in her soul? Tomoe Mami's he knew. He'd placed the soul into GoldenRapidmon himself after all. And it was obvious in her transformation: the way her armour shone gold and ringlets appeared on her thighs, the way her hands extended into red blasters and her blonde tresses sprouted little ornament rabbit ears.

But he hadn't seen Homura changed at all. One moment the enemy would be there, and then it wouldn't and Homura would be a little distance away and probably the cause.

So too close to Homura when attempting to spy wasn't safe. But Mami was good. Mami was the model Familiar - and, hopefully, that would be enough to offset Homura and catch Madoka.


	5. Whatever I Can Do

'So you couldn't recruit her,' Misako frowned, 'despite being sure she's more powerful than any of our current Familiars.'

'These things are delicate.' Kyubey licked its paws. They were still caked with chocolate. 'Akemi Homura is quite troublesome, you know. Who was it that recruited her?'

'I don't manage recruitments,' Misako shrugged. 'It was you or another of your kind, I presume. However, if she is causing trouble, I can do something about her.'

'Actually,' Kyubey mused, 'while she's causing trouble, she's also doing a good job with the Wild Ones. It mightn't be a bad idea to leave her be for now. We may find out more by simply observing her.'

Misako sighed. 'The children are not your playthings,' she cautioned. 'I do hope you remember that.'

Kyubey simply smiled and faded out of the window glass.

Sometimes, it seemed like everything was a plaything to Kyubey. Including her.

Except she wasn't. She would never be.

The picture of Remi sat on her desk. Remi grinned up at her from it.

Remi had made certain of that, hadn't she? Still, that niggling feeling wouldn't leave her.

* * *

Homura's street was empty, as always. Or, at the very least, it looked empty. She knew better. There was the faint scent of gunpowder only meters from her home. Was that girl even trying?

She supposed that so long as it kept the other Familiar away from Madoka, she would handle the stalking of Tomoe Mami. Or, the blond girl's best attempt anyway. Subtle was not her forte. Quiet, hidden, wasn't either. At least it wasn't Miki stalking her.

She entered her house and shut the door. Her body ached, but she ignored it for the moment. She could rest when she was done. There was still work to do to change fate, to change reality.

Homura chewed on her lip. To save Madoka, her body could ache for hours yet.

Still, she waited, but there was no knock. Smart girl, for once. She knew, at least, not to disturb. Or maybe she was simply concerned about losing the advantage of more neutral ground and entering the enemy forte alone.

Still, she might have been surprised. The house was nothing interesting, except her family room (and what an ironic name that was, when there was no family there but her). She kept lifetimes worth of data and information there. Every Digimon she'd defeated...because that was their real name, despite the different permutations that had cropped up in more ignorant times.

And it happened that, of all the things she knew, that was one of the least important to spread. Not that she hadn't tried, in the past. But it was ultimately unimportant. Not necessary to save Madoka. Therefore not necessary in wasting time over.

In any case, she had other work to do. The computer and wide projector screen at her disposal was a blessing every time, otherwise she'd have to steal them as well and they were a lot harder to hide than guns and bullets and home-made bombs. She could probably do it though. Still, she wasn't a thief by choice and she'd rather keep her thefts as few and necessary as possible. Less attention. Less load she put on her soul. Less things she had to think about at a later date.

She searched her database. Greymon should already be in there since they'd fought before but new battle data never hurt. Something might change. Something new might crop up. If nothing else, she had to note how it had followed Madoka almost all the way home...again.

Perhaps her power attracted dragons. She would think they would follow the other girl. Come to think of it, did Digimon follow the other girl, or was it just her paranoia? Her paranoia was never unfounded, so she would count it as a problem.

She continued to work well into the night. The feeling of being watched didn't fade for a long time after.

* * *

The next morning, Madoka still wasn't sure if yesterday had been a daydream or not. She had looked outside and nothing had seemed wrong. Everyone had gone about the morning routine like it was just an ordinary day, like the dinosaur had never been.

Maybe the stress had finally driven her crazy. She didn't ask in case it had, or in case it hadn't. It was much nicer not knowing for sure she was crazy, or there were really orange dinosaurs trying to eat her. She just went through the usual morning rituals (including tag teaming with Tatsuya to wake up her mother), and then wandered off to meet Sayaka and Hitomi on the way to school.

They don't talk about the dinosaur either. Sayaka mentions how she went to visit Kyosuke and Madoka hums and nods at all the right moments. Hitomi quietly asks when he'll return. Both girls are oblivious to the undertones and Sayaka only shrugs sadly because she doesn't know.

Wrapped up in the normal world, she doesn't notice the eyes that follow her: the little rabbit like creature who'd disprove the delusive dream gliding from tree to tree, and behind him, with her eyes constantly trained on the creature, was Homura.

* * *

Kyubey was far more subtle than Tomoe Mami, but practice had tuned Homura to its presence. And though she doubted the creature could do much in a crowded setting like this, it didn't hurt to be too sure. She would always be a step behind or in front: the shield or the guardian angel reigning from the shadows. Kyubey was well aware of the fact that she could freeze time. She had less to fear than it in terms of discovery.

If only she could lock Madoka away for all time, it would be far simpler. But, even if it had been possible once upon a time, it wasn't now. And there was only so much she could do from a distance. So much she could accomplish - and so much she could get wrong.

Watching Kyubey was not one of those things. Watching Kyubey was risk free. And, at this point, Kyubey had no external help. Only one vessel to host. It was later that things became more complicated, when the king put more pawns on the board and she alone couldn't mark them all. But allies never helped matters either. They only complicated them. That was another valuable lesson she'd learnt from the past: there were less variables, less complications, when she worked alone.

Ignore the rest of the world. Only Madoka mattered.

Madoka had rounded the bend with Hitomi and Sayaka. It took every ounce of her not to call out to her, stop time and talk to her, walk with her. But she couldn't. That would be interference and they couldn't risk that. So instead she simply watched, watched the three of them giggle together and be at ease with the world. She pretended it didn't bother her. She ignored the envy stabbing at her gut. If only she could forget this part of it, if only-

No. That couldn't happen. If she forgot any of it, she would lose the chance to save Madoka forever. And she had _promised._

She thought about that promise, all the way through her walk to the glass, ethereal school, all through the lessons she had gone through a hundred times, and the food turned bland by how many times she had eaten it. It was all so sickly sweet in its monotony. She'd like to set her throat on fire. That would at least be different.

Well, instead of fire, she got an explosion rocking the doors and windows and the smell of smoke.


End file.
